Thursday, February 9, 2017

Super Bowl Ads Reveal Things About Us

This past
Sunday, millions of people watched the Super Bowl and the advertising spectacle
that accompanied it. It turned out to be an extra exciting game, and the
advertisements once again generated a lot of commentary.

But there
is one thing people may have missed: they were watching reflections of
themselves.

Media both
creates and reflects culture. This is true of all forms of media, from fine
art, to news, to entertainment, and advertising. Ads are ubiquitous and
therefore high profile, particularly during the Super Bowl when they are not
merely peripheral but often the focus for viewers.

While some
people complain that there are too many ads in some cases, advertising is also
valued. In addition to sponsoring much of the content we enjoy for free or
reduced cost, ads have entertainment value, such as in the case of humorous or
moving mini-stories in some ads. They are also seen as an art form, for their
production value, technical skill and creativity. Ads are also seen to have a
practical utility when they inform or educate about a product, service, or
cause that is of current relevance to the viewer.

But while
these are the values of ads to the public that sees them, of what value are
they to the advertisers? This is a particularly important question in the
context of the Super Bowl, for which a single national ad could cost as much as
$5 million, just for the placement. For one, the Super Bowl is one of the last
forums where a large audience can be reached at once. So advertisers pay out
the big money for the simple ability to reach a mass audience. They also have
objectives behind the ad messages, such as to rebuild or establish a
reputation, to advance a cause, to maintain brand preference, and of course to
launch a new product or sell something. There is also a little bit of showing
off to the rest of the advertising community on a national stage.

But what
does all of this say about us as a culture? I watched the ads this past weekend
with that in mind. I also participated in a Twitter hashtag discussion with my
Advertising and Public Relations students at Grand Valley State University, as
well as alumni, professors and industry professionals who joined in. Here are a
few of my observations. These insights may not be true of all individuals, but
they are revealing about at least segments of the culture in which we live.

We are
still a material society. The ads about luxury goods, particularly cars, had an
obvious appeal to not just what we need but what we desire. Not all ads were
for the luxurious, but it does show that there is a market among us interested
in the finer things.

We have an
increasing degree of nostalgia. While previous year’s Super Bowl ads tended
toward childish or juvenile humor, this year had a lot of throwbacks.
References to the Budweiser dog Spuds McKenzie and the theme song from the old
TV show “Cheers” revealed an interesting longing for the past. Some were
wondering if these references to content from years past would go over the
heads of the often sought after “millennial” generation market. But perhaps
that’s exactly why some advertisers used them—to let the slightly older folks
know they’re still appreciated too. Some accused advertisers of running out of
ideas. Others pondered that the present culture is so divisive that a throwback
to an earlier era would be refreshing.

We still
are a little sex obsessed, but not nearly as much as in past years. There were
few scantily clad women race car drivers selling IT services. Instead, Mr.
Clean had sex appeal, and maybe was popular with female viewers who want their
husbands to help clean around the house. The supermodel in the Snickers ad
appeared only briefly and wore a lovely and modest dress. Two ads from Verizon,
however, had an unusual reference to “50 Shades of Gray.”

Patriotism
still runs through us. Coke boldly ran the national anthem through its ad.
Others used iconic American imagery to associate themselves with America. Related
to patriotism, the ads showed that we are a culture of social conscience and
commentary. 84Lumber told the beginning of a story about migrant workers.
Viewers had to see the conclusion on a web site, and the site crashed. Anheuser-Busch
told the story of its immigrant founder. The NFL in its “between these lines”
spot spoke not of football but of national unity. These ads are always a
50-50—the people could feel good about them or the ads could backfire as people
see the patriotic theme as cheap pandering. A lot depends on execution of the
ad, the reputation of the brand, and the judgment by the public of the
advertiser’s true intent.

In total, I
was personally happy to see fewer ads that were juvenile and boldly appealing
to base passions such as sex and greed. Ads were more direct, mature, and
clean. Perhaps a culture, like a football team, can come back against all odds.